Sectional ski



April 22, 1969 KAzuo NOGUCHI SECTIONAL SKI Filed March 1, 1967 INVENTOR KAZUO NOGUCHI Mamg @Mamz ATTORNEY5 April 22, 1969 KAZUO NOGUCHI SECTIONAL SKI Sheet Filed March 1, 1967 Fig. 2

R m1 Ww mU G O N O U Z A K ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,439,928 SECTIONAL SKI Kazuo Noguchi, 35-1 4-ch0me, Matsushima, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed Mar. 1, 1967, Ser. No. 621,726 Int. Cl. A63c 5/02 US. Cl. 280-1113 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sectional ski divided into, at least, two sections allowing for dismembering the ski unit so as to shorten the entire length thereof, thereby facilitating carrying the same. The sections are connected in use by a connecting device consisting of male and female means which assures the complete integration thereof.

Background of the invention This invention pertains to skis. Skis should have considerable length according to their functional requirement, and accordingly are inconvenient to carry. For instance, skis cannot be transported in the trunk of a sedan type automobile, and are troublesome when passed through a narrow entrance of a bus or a train.

As another inconvenience of the conventional ski, it should be pointed out that the length of the ski has to be selected according to the height of an individual skier, and the characteristic of the ski has to be selected to the usage, such as slalom, downhill, jumping and long distance race. The length or characteristic are inherent to the individual skier.

Summary of the invention This invention aims to solve all the problems as above mentioned, by dividing the ski into parts. The sectional ski can be easily assembled rigidly and securely by a device without influencing the proper function of the ski when in use.

The main object of this invention is to provide a sectional ski divided into parts, preferably two sections, comprising a device provided at ends of the ski and composed of a connecting fitting having at least one projecting member at the connecting end thereof, and connecting fitting having at least one hole corresponding in size and shape to the projecting member and at least one tightening screw for fixing the rojecting member in the hole in such a way as to provide a smooth unobstructed plane on the lower surface of the connecting sections.

By such features, the ski becomes easy to be carried since it can be brought into a room or put in the trunk of a sedan, or can be carried even by inserting it into a rucksack.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sectional ski as above mentioned which further comprises an eX- tension section acting as a foot support section, to be inserted between the above mentioned two sections.

By changing the length and curvature of the extension section, the entire length and even the characteristic of the ski can be suitably changed according to the height and weight of the respective skier and also to the usage of the ski.

Further objects and merits of this invention will be made clear in the following description of preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawing.

3,439,928 Patented Apr. 22, 1969 "ice Brief description of the drawing In the drawing,

FIGURE 1 shows a general side view of a sectional ski according to this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partial plan of the combined portion of a ski of this invention with a part cut away to show the connecting construction.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged partial side view of the same portion with two sections being separated.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged partial plan, similar to FIG- URE 2, of a modification.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged partial side view of the modification.

Description of the preferred embodiments As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the entire length of a ski is divided into two sections I and II, at its shoe-supporting portion Where the thickness is the largest and where there is no substantial flexibility. The combination of such two sections must be rigid and secure, not to restrict the proper function of the ski and also to prevent any accidental disconnection when in use. In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the combining device is composed of fittings A and B. A fitting A comprises two cylindrical bolts 1, one of which is shown in the cut-out part of FIGURE 2. The cylindrical bolt 1 is engageable with a complementary hole 2 formed in the fitting B. Also from the side of the fitting B a tightening screw 3 is obliquely mounted to engage its tip 6 with a slant hole 4 formed in the cylindrical bolt. Such oblique tightening screw acts to eliminate clearance at the joint due to insufiicient connecting work by hand and to prevent accidental loosening between fittings A and B due to the deflection by bending action. By turning a nut 5, the tip 6 will be tightly engaged with the hole 4, for securing the connection between the fittings A and B. Complementary parts and including a tongue 11' and a groove or slot 11 and a triangularly shaped edge projection 12' and a beveled comer 12 on the fittings B and A, respectively are for registering the relation of the fittings and for eliminating possible bending or distortion of the combined portion. The crosssectional shape of the bolt 1 may be altered to any polygonal shape or other shape.

In the modification shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, the bolt 1 is of a tapered shape, especially at its tapered surface 8, and the corresponding hole 2 is enlarged at the side of the surface 8.

In the space left in front of the surface 8, there is provided a piece 7 which is guided tranversely by a pin 10 for allowing to and fro movement against the surface 8. The piece 7 is connected to a tightening screw 3 by means of a holding pin 9. By turning the screw 3 from the side of the ski, the piece 7 firmly engages with the tapered surface 8 of the bolt 1.

By virtue of the tapering and the wide contact between the surface 8 and the piece 7, a firm combination of the fitting can be attained.

When the length of the ski is desired to be augmented, a suitable extension section (not shown) is inserted between the sections I and II. The extension section has fit tings similar to the above explaination at both its ends. By connecting such extension section to both sections I and II, the entire length can be adjusted in accordance with the height of the skier. Also, using a moderately curved extension section, the entire curvature of the middle part of the ski can be varied. By this adjustment, the most preferable condition for any weight of an individual skier and for usage of the ski can be satisfactory.

By way of combining another front or rear section of different length or characteristic, further variations of the ski can be obtained.

As explained in detail in the above, the invention provides a wide possibility, not only to shorten the entire length of the ski for facilitating the transportation thereof, but also to adjust the length or characteristics according to the condition of any skier and to any usage of the ski.

I claim:

1. A sectional ski comprising at least two sections, means for connecting the ends of said sections arranged at the connecting ends of the said sections so as to engage each other and provide a smooth, unobstructed, flat lower surface on the said sections at said connecting means, and said end connecting means being composed of a connecting fitting on one section and having at least one member projecting from the connecting end thereof, and another connecting fitting on the second section and having at least one hole corresponding in size and shape to said projecting member, and at least one tightening screw in the second section in the side wall thereof and extending substantially horizontally into said section to engage the projecting member in said hole, and a supplementary connecting means comprised of a triangular edge projection from the connecting end of the second section, said first section having a beveled corner complementary to said edge projection, so as to directly abut against the edge projection when the sections are engaged.

2. A sectional ski as claimed in claim 1, in which a flat surfaced wedge forms said projecting member and such wedge only contacts one surface of the said hole, and said fiat wedge is operatively contacted by the tightening screw 4 which includes a tip means, a carrier engaging said tip means and movable by the tightening means, a holding pin engaging said tip means and carrier and preventing the disengagement of said wedge from the ski unit so that by turning the tightening screw the carrier firmly engages with the tapered surface of the wedge.

3. A sectional ski as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises an additional section inserted between said two sections and having similar connecting means at the respective section connecting ends.

4. A sectional ski as in claim 1 where a projecting tongue is formed on said another connecting fitting and a groove is formed in said connecting fitting complementary to said tongue to receive the same and aid in locking said sections together.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 382,254 5/1888 Coradson. 675,054 5/1901 Durand 28752.08 675,765 6/1901 Barry 287-119 2,622,120 12/1952 Knasko et al. 287-119 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 235,300 3/ 1945 Switzerland.

LEO FRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner.

MILTON L. SMITH, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 287126 

